A modern brick veneer does not mask the original footprint of this early Helena home. The large bay window, the steeply pitched roof (which added space for a second story), and the cross gable, once sheltered by a full-length front porch, reflect the classic form of a gable-front-and-wing residence. Helena stonecutter William F. Myers built the home in 1878 for $2,000 (equivalent to approximately $43,000 in 2007.) Undoubtedly, he used locally manufactured materials since the railroad would not arrive in Helena for another five years. These likely included soft brick (which was less durable than "imported" high-fire brick) and lumber from a planing mill in operation just behind the residence. In 1890 Meyers shared this home with Benjamin Clark, who worked in a livery, and Lane Samson, manager of the Northwestern Abstract Company. Frank and Louise Tompkins owned the house in 1935, when earthquakes caused approximately $1,200 in damage ($18,000 in 2007 dollars). Frank, the chief timber inspector for the Northern Pacific Railroad, applied brick veneer to repair the damage, ultimately deciding to completely re-side the home in 1949.
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